Jesus of Nazareth

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Summary: Jesus of Nazareth
Review: Superb film version of the life of Christ is brought to life by a first rate cast of legendary stars, such as Olivier, Mason, Bancroft and Steiger. Zefferelli's direction and treatment of the material is quite masterful. Powell's Jesus is a wonderful performance and holds up perfectly throughout the entire long...and I do mean...LONG...mini-series

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Summary: Jesus of Nazareth: A Worthy Investment of Time And Money
Review: It's hard to say whether Franco Zeffirelli's six hour epic on the life of Christ, called Jesus of Nazareth, is the best film I've ever seen. I've seen hundreds of movies, and when I think of personal favorites, classics like Blade Runner, Alien and The Fugative immediately come to mind. I do know however Jesus of Nazareth is the best movie ever made about the Son of God and that it has an effect on me no other movie ever has. It is an inspiring masterpiece which portraits the Savior with reverence. Robert Powell, who was casted as Jesus, is remarkable. He captures the humility and the majesty of the King of kings, although Mr.Powell may have been too handsome for the role: "He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him (Isaiah 53:2).

As stated, Jesus of Nazareth is a long and thorough biography, with the events regarding the birth of Jesus taking up two hours alone. It's a movie one can watch year round, if even in sections; at Christmas, Easter, Lent, Pentacost, whatever holy days your faith observes. The movie is beautifully filmed and impeccably depicts the times. The performances are captivating and the ministry of the Savior is meted out in a logical and accurate according to the Bible. It's hard to watch the movie from start to finish - sitting still for two hours is rare for me (I give movies 15 minutes to grab my attention, if I'm not jazzed by then, I'm gone) - yet in several sittings I was able to avoid debilitating bed sores (cue laugh track) and give fully my attention to this wonderful and inspiring film. It's deeply emotional in some parts, in particular the crucifixion scenes, but appropriately so.

Jesus of Nazareth educational, spiritual, entertaining and can be enjoyed over and over again. Classic family entertainment of the highest order.

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Summary: The quintessential dramatization of the life of Jesus
Review: Franco Zeffirelli's miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth" is based upon Anthony Burgess's novel "Man of Nazareth." In advertisements taken out before the miniseries was aired, Zeffirelli promised his work would present the "human" face of Jesus. Religious groups protested, as they seem to always do, but Zeffirelli's miniseries is not only accurate (for the most part) but deeply reverent and emotional.

The performances are first-rate. Robert Powell played Jesus with a sensitivity and strength former actors failed to bring, making his Son of Man seem loving, accessible, and yet full of the sense of social justice that permeates the Gospel accounts of Christ. Olivia Hussey, fresh from "Romeo and Juliet," is a heartbreaking Mary, so young she appears more like Jesus's sister than his mother. So many great actors appear and give stellar performances that it's like a "Who's Who" of 1970s stars--James Earl Jones, Anthony Quinn, Anne Bancroft (who is glorious as Mary Magdalene!), Laurence Olivier (whose Nicodemus is like a lamb, so earnest and gentle), Ernest Borgnine and Stacy Keach (who plays his role without too much scenery-chewing). There are actors I've never seen since whose performances I've never forgotten. And there are scenes of white-hot intensity that grab hold and sink in.

There are a few quibbles. One is that the children picked to play Jesus at 3 and 13 are blond, while Powell has dark hair. Another is that Nicodemus comes to visit Jesus in late afternoon, not at night. A final one is that Jesus is nailed to the cross by his hands, when such a move would have resulted in the nails ripping through his palms and sending him flopping face-forward. But when the rest of the film is incredibly detailed and accurate, with nary an anachronism in speech or dress, what are a few missed details?

I urge people to buy this on DVD. The quality is pristine, without any skips or pixilation, and if any movie deserves to be seen at its very best, this one does. But whether you buy it on VHS or DVD, this is the best version of the story of Jesus that exists. Nothing has surpassed it, and I doubt anything will in future.


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Summary: Beyond question the best movie ever made on Jesus
Review: I watched this film again after an hiatus of some twenty years. Its power has not diminished over time. What makes this a masterpiece is the fact it tells the story of Jesus in a way that is true to the Gospels. A masterful cast also makes it compulsive viewing. Robert Powell is a convincing, immediate Jesus. His face has a power, compassion and presence that draws one, and his voice is clear and manly. Anne Bancroft is a vulnerable Mary Magdalene (her performance sends chills down the spine). James Farentino as Simon Peter defines rugged compassion. Finally, mention must be made of Rod Steiger whose performance as Pilate shows just what a great actor he is. The film is filled with humanity and a strong story line; it is not simply a restatement of the Gospel narratives. The horror of crucifixion is captured through understatement and the resurrection is relayed with great power through its witnesses. The final resurrection scene is one of the most beautiful scenes in any movie ever. There is no fanfare about it, just Jesus sitting with the disciples who look at him with fear and love. This film remains the standard by which all other Jesus films need to be judged. Sadly, other Jesus films fail to match it in any department. The quality of the DVD reissue is disappointing, especially as concerns the sound.

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Summary: Best movie about the life of Christ
Review: This is by far the best film about the life of Jesus Christ. All of the actors and actresses were wonderful. The scenery, costumes, and musical score were amazing and beautiful. Robert Powell did a magnificent job of portraying the Saviour with dignity and reverence. This is a very moving and inspiring film to watch, as I was moved to tears during certain segments. I have this movie on VHS and would like to buy the DVD version in the future. This is my favorite version of the life of Christ because everything in this film seems more realistic than in earlier films on Jesus. I also liked the fact that Zeffirelli did not use any showy special effects. It is a shame that they don't show this movie on prime time TV during the Christmas and Easter season. This magnificent movie could bring one closer to Christ and should be seen by all, Christian and non-believer.

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Summary: A Classic and a Masterpiece!
Review: This DVD set should be in every household.

The teachings in the film are immesurable and one learns many things on many levels.

Zeffirelli has created a Classic and a Masterpiece.

...but it's Robert Powell that stands out in his cosmic realization of Jesus Christ!

Watching this 6 hour film has the power to change your life!



Rating:
Summary: Jesus of Nazareth
Review: Whoever the idiot was who said jesus did not exist obviously slept through history class. While his actions and miracles may be questioned there is not debate that he was a real guy who caused quite a stir around 2000 years ago. This movie does an excellent job of visually teaching the life and teachings of Jesus to those who are too lazy or unmotivated to read the bible or attend church. I really enjoyed the entire movie and its length is necessary in getting everything about Jesus' remarkable life into it. This movie is highly recommended to anyone who wants to at least learn more about Christianity or about Jesus and his teachings. And the next time someone writes a review trying to make a strong controversial arguement, I hope they pull their heads out of their ignorant butts before typing.
I think that's what Jesus would say anyways!

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Summary: Greatest story of the greatest man who ever walked the earth
Review: No doubt about it this for me is the greatest film on the life and story of Jesus Christ. While the Passion of the Christ centers on the actual suffering and was graphically vivid for
the pain our sins have inflicted on Jesus, JESUS OF NAZARETH focuses more on his teachings and the impact of his earthly presence among those who have come into actual contact with Jesus.

In many scenes, Jesus emphasizes the fact that "all who were fortunate enough to see what others dreamed to see and to
hear what others have longed to hear" refer to the fortunate crowd who have actually witnessed Jesus in the flesh as compared
to those before them who only read in the Scriptures about the coming of the Messiah. But the great irony of it all, was those
who were indeed fortunate enough to witness him were even the ones who rejected His Holy Presence even questioning the
selfless purpose of His Divine Mission were the very same religious leaders entrusted to preach His Scriptures.

Well fortunately for us all, JESUS OF NAZARETH is now on video and although I've probably seen this a dozen times, it never
ceases to amaze me that I always get a different perspective of enlightenment of the same scenes every time I watch it.
Now as a video viewer, you have two choices, you can either embrace and come to love the film as strong as your faith in Jesus, or you can reject it by pressing the eject button and
stow it away in its protective jewel box. Either way, it's
worth one viewing which will guarantee not only five star entertainment but an all star entertainment. This film is
always great no matter how many times one watches it since the person on whom the story is about is the greatest superstar of all time who ever walked the earth none other than JESUS
OF NAZARETH.

Do yourself a favor have a real MERRY CHRISTMAS and watch the entire film without interruption and I can be very sure this
will become your favorite film of all time as it is mine.

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Summary: Why no Spanish subtitles?
Review: I concur with most everyone in that this is the best of all the movies dealing with the life of Jesus Christ. But, I am perplexed as to why this movie has been released without either dubbing in Spanish or more importantly subtitles. There is a huge latin population in the U.S. and most of them are Catholics and yet a movie such as this is produced without subtitles. I am a young hispanic who would love to give my parents movies like this one or Gone With The Wind which just came out, but do not buy it because of the lack of subtitles.

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Summary: One of the Greats
Review: This is bar none, hands down, the greatest Jesus film of all time (no disrepect to The Passion of Christ). If you only see one in your lifetime, this is the one to see. Robert Powell's performance as Jesus was powerful and sensitive. I don't know if Powell was a Christian but if he wasn't, that's a shame. His facial expression gave to the movie what words could not. While not as graphic as "The Passion of Christ" it is every bit if not more effective. Powell is probably also the best looking "Jesus" ever filmed although some would argue that his nationality presented a problem. If you are a believer, you must have this film. If you want to be a believer you too must have it.

The film begins before His birth and ends with his resurrection just before his ascension to heaven. James Earl Jones stars as one of the three kings led by the star to the birthsite of the Christ. The scriptures have been faithfully represented in the retelling of the good book. Watch it with your children so that you can explain some of the goings on to young ones.